How much cheaper is reloading?

Today I realized that 6.5x55 is my favourite caliber to shoot, from the milsurp rifles I own.
So aside from the initial cost of reloading equipment... Can I make my own 6.5x55 for cheaper then PPU which runs between $23 and $30 per 20 rounds.. And at the same time, produce a far more accurate product?
 
Would a single stage rock chucker be a good start? This might take some time for me piece by piece , but very intrigued.

Unfortunately, I do not know a soul who reloads.. even lucky if anybody is at the range when I go.
 
Don't know if anyone "experienced" will back this up, but I've been recommended the 'Lee Anniversary reloading kit' {Cabelas is cheapest I hear}, & know some using it, & happy with it.
 
I can get commercial 9mm remanufactured ammunition for $300/1000, all in.
30 cents a shot.
Similar handloads with plated bullets cost less than 2/3s of that.
I load on a progressive machine, so it doesn't take too long. I get bored after a 100 or so. I'll stop and do something else for a while.
Best price I ever found for .308 match ammunition was $30 a box, tax in. More like $40 now, plus tax. Quality handloads are much less.

The Lee kit will turn out decent ammunition.
Lots of brand loyalty amongst reloaders.
It all works.
 
Sometimes you have to reload because there is not much factory ammo to be had for certain calibers. This is why I started reloading 8mm mauser
 
Pretty new to the reloading game here. I started because I'm a fugal shooter, and it certainly is cheaper ignoring one factor....time. My ammo is way cheaper, but I ignore the time it takes to make it. I cast bullets now too which drops costs (ignoring time) in a big way. As suggested, savings are dependant on which calibre you reload for. My 6.5x55 is more economical than equivalent factory loads for sure, but nowhere near as economical as reloading 6.5x50Jap! I am set up for 7.62x54r, and with surplus ammo so cheap I don't see much savings per "bang"...I do get better ammo than surplus stuff though.

I didn't know this was going to happen when I started, but I have found the reloading side of shooting to be a fantastic hobby all of it's own. The zen-like calm that comes with processing brass, or the rhythm that comes with casting is a fantastic, and enjoyable way to spend time. Compound that enjoyment with the ability to load speciality ammo that you simply can't buy (I love gallery loading/cat sneeze) anywhere and the benefit exceeds cost savings too. Not only has my frugal side been appeased, I've a whole new hobby to love now.
 
And it costs time if you are a high $/hour kind of person.

It's most practical if you're chasing volume accurate ammo without buying match grade factory ammo.
 
Your savings really depend a lot on what you are shooting. As already mentioned, expensive, hard to find ammo may have prohibitive pricing.

308 Norma Magnums are selling locally [when available] for about $90.00/20 plus taxes. I can sure load for much less than that. [about $35.00 with premium bullets]
The difference for the 8mm Mag is not quite as great, but the ammo is often unobtanium. Plus I'm stuck with the factory bullet, which may or may not be suitable.

Another factor is the ammo's velocity potential. I have chronographed factory, 180 grain 300 Win Mag ammo that averaged 2825 fps!! That is a 30-06 in disguise.
Several older European chamberings [8x57, 7x57, 6.5x55, etc] are loaded "soft" by North American ammo makers. Reloading allows you to wring the potential from these.

Most of my rifles have never seen a factory round of any description, and I intend to keep it that way. Dave
 
This is so wrong and incorrect and kinda of tired of reading this same old jokingly misinformation.

I currently load at .18 a shot or let's say $9 a box of 9mm. If I buy the absolute cheapest Russian stuff it's $18 a box. Now instead of shooting 1 box I shoot 2 boxes. At 18.00 well I have shot more and saved $18.00. The more I shoot the more I save with reloads.

The old funny tale ones like to tell about not saving and shooting more can be dangerously misleading and discouraging to new comers.

So if you must comment the won't save any money but shoot more. It should come with a clarification that reloading will allow you to shoot double or so for the same amount. Which realistically is a saving.

Sorry for the rant. But I heard this same nonsense before I started reloading and thought how could that be true. After researching it and doing the math. I realized that I have saved a ton of money and paid for all my equipment 10 times over.

I would like to think that the quality produced is more along the lines and possibly exceeding the quality of higher end cartridges making the SAVINGS greater.

Will you have more money in your pocket at the end of the day. Not if you shoot more. But to say you don't save is misleading.





medvedqc said:
you will shoot more, so this is not costwise the reason you reload ....
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I guess both ways of approaching the subject are true, depending on point of view, but the only really right answer is how each specific person feels about it? If you can take just a moment and honestly answer these few questions, then it is actually super easy to decide which way to go, follow me along and ask yourself these questions and tally up your answers each way.
Are you looking for ultimate precision and accuracy? Want to shoot interesting new calibers? (6mm SLR/ 300 Norma, etc), Want to learn a ton more about the whole shooting discipline? Are you going to be shooting huge volumes of rounds? Have space in your house/garage for a proper gun-reloading room? Are you investing huge dollars and very high end rifles or pistols? Have the time to commit to doing it right? Then you need to reload for sure, no choice about it.
Or are you more of a casual shooter? Don't have time to put the hours into it to learn and read and research and practice to do your craft well, and be safe and not injure yourself? Only have 308s or 30-06s or 223s or other common calibers etc? Then you could easily be just as happy being a box Ammo guy. There are really good Match Ammo choices these days, (example-6.5 Creedmoor, FGMM 308 etc), and you can get it at most any gun store around.
Just be real with yourself about your time and expectations and I think you'll find the answer becomes obvious to you.
As for me personally, I answered yes to all the first questions, and own a number of great high end rifles and wanted to have the best Ammo I could possibly have, so reloading was a no-brainer......but you know what I discovered? I love the reloading! The process speaks to me, and the science, the art, the mystery and challenge of load testing, of making perfect rounds over and over, of perfecting my science and skills, all became very addictive, and now I am not afraid to admit, I am addicted reloading almost as much as I love shooting!
Ask any serious hand loader if they like it, and 95% of them will say they love doing it too. Now for the caveat.....it's an initial steep learning curve, you can spend thousands and thousands on gear chasing that perfect ammo load, and it takes up more room in your house then you might think, but for me, and most reloaders, it's totally worth it.
Oh.....and the fancy reloading gear you can buy!!! Talk about man cave toys! Chargemasters/ Dillon 1050s/ Benchsource Annealers...and so on. Not to worry if those names mean nothing to you just yet....any serious reloader worth his salt, is salivating reading that last sentence. And there is no better feeling then opening that Canpar brown box from Budget or X-reload and looking at a perfect piece of Norma or Lapua brass and imagining the sub-MOA accuracy you hold in your hands!
I also feel that any serious or even semi-serious shooter or gun enthusiast who chooses not to reload is missing half the fun of being a "gun guy"!
Just my thoughts for you to mull over, and YMMV....
 
Hand loading cast pistol bullets will be cheaper than shooting .22 with a little leg work.
Honestly, I enjoy reloading, brass/lead collecting as much as shooting. It's a whole new hobby.
I can reload cast 45-70 for less than 10 cents a round! You can not have more fun for 10 cents. I promise you that.
 
radmacks said:
This is so wrong and incorrect and kinda of tired of reading this same old jokingly misinformation.

I currently load at .18 a shot or let's say $9 a box of 9mm. If I buy the absolute cheapest Russian stuff it's $18 a box. Now instead of shooting 1 box I shoot 2 boxes. At 18.00 well I have shot more and saved $18.00. The more I shoot the more I save with reloads.

The old funny tale ones like to tell about not saving and shooting more can be dangerously misleading and discouraging to new comers.

So if you must comment the won't save any money but shoot more. It should come with a clarification that reloading will allow you to shoot double or so for the same amount. Which realistically is a saving.

Sorry for the rant. But I heard this same nonsense before I started reloading and thought how could that be true. After researching it and doing the math. I realized that I have saved a ton of money and paid for all my equipment 10 times over.

I would like to think that the quality produced is more along the lines and possibly exceeding the quality of higher end cartridges making the SAVINGS greater.

Will you have more money in your pocket at the end of the day. Not if you shoot more. But to say you don't save is misleading.
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I suspect there are few people who don't shoot more once they start hand loading. Maybe you are one of the few.

I know for me it has resulted in the purchase of far more components than I ever would have shot and far more rifles than I have previously owned, because now I could ahooting them more.

Reloading is the root cause of my expensive hobby
 
As it has been said, reloading generally just has you shooting more. The amazing discovery I made was that you do indeed enter a zen like state, and before you know it, you've passed several hours. It has become one of my favorite ways to relax, I just throw on some music in the garage and reload away.
 
Kman303 said:
As it has been said, reloading generally just has you shooting more. The amazing discovery I made was that you do indeed enter a zen like state, and before you know it, you've passed several hours. It has become one of my favorite ways to relax, I just throw on some music in the garage and reload away.
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Is your garage heated? Any concerns for moisture and humidity?
 
The garage is heated, in floor heating and a nice turn table make it more of a man cave than garage.

Never had a moisture problem in it either (definitely not in winter), it's as comfortable as the house.
 
heronfish said:
I suspect there are few people who don't shoot more once they start hand loading. Maybe you are one of the few.

I know for me it has resulted in the purchase of far more components than I ever would have shot and far more rifles than I have previously owned, because now I could ahooting them more.

Reloading is the root cause of my expensive hobby
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Yep, reloading makes the hobby much more expensive but enjoyable.
I love just relaxing and reloading a bunch of rounds for anything, missus thinks its repetitive and boring and doesn't understand why I spend my free time in my workshop.
But it does get expensive, instead of buying 1# of powder 100 primers, or 100 bullets you buy 8# and 1k bullets at a time, then 5k primers...
Just to save you a few dollars haha
 
Kman303 said:
The garage is heated, in floor heating and a nice turn table make it more of a man cave than garage.

Never had a moisture problem in it either (definitely not in winter), it's as comfortable as the house.
Click to expand...

Good stuff, rich man's garage, that explains it. :)
 
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